Guess
we should have known:
Vice President Dick Cheney and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spent part of last week duck hunting together at a private camp in south Louisiana, just three weeks after the Supreme Court agreed to take up an appeal by the vice president in lawsuits over his handling of the administration's energy task force.
Although Scalia and Cheney are avid hunters and longtime friends, several experts in legal ethics questioned the timing of their trip and said it raises doubts about Scalia's ability to judge the case impartially.
But Scalia rejected that concern Friday, saying, "I do not think my impartiality could reasonably be questioned."
Wonder if they went hunting together back in the fall of 2000?
Not really sure what the ramifications would be if Scalia removed himself from the case. With 8 judges you still need 5 for a majority ruling. But perhaps the hearings proceed differently without Scalia around? Regardless this sort of back room sleaze that Cheney specializes in needs a lot more light shining its way.